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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOSEA V. LIBBEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAlLROAD- RAl L.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 652,234, dated June 19, 1900. Application filed October 19, 1899. Serial No. 784,144. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, HOSEA W. LIBBEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massach usetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Rails, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a railroad-rail with an elastic tread,whereby the traction is increased, the wear and tear of the running-gear largely reduced, and the noise andclatter of the wheels passing over them will be obviated or so diminished that it will not be objectionable; and the invention con-V sists of a metal rail similar to an ordinary rail, having a dovetailed groove formed in its head and a tread of elastic material adapted to fit over same and having a longitudinal dovetail web on its under side adapted to fit into the groove in the head of the metal portion, substantially as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a section of railroad-rail embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view showing the position of the ends of two adjacent rails and the elastic tread.

A represents the flange, Bthe web, andC the head, of a rail of a form similar to an ordinary railway-rail. In the head of the rail is cut or otherwise formed a dovetail groove D, and E is a tread of any suitable elastic material, but preferably a compound of rubber, its under side being formed with a dovetail rib F, adapted to fit into the dovetail groove D, formed in the head 0 of the rail, so that when arranged in position it is firmly held and liability to shift is prevented, the metal portion of the rail and the elastic portion being bothformed of the same length; but when laid they are arranged to break joint, as shown in Fig. 2-that is, the elastic tread being forced into the groove in the head of the rail for a certain distance, so that a portion is left which projects beyond the end of the metal rail, while the other end of said elastic portion is as farfrom the other end of said rail as that which projects at the other end of same, so that when the rails are laid the projecting portion of the elastic tread is inserted into the aperture left at the end of the adjajacent rail, whereby the joints are broken and the rails are more securely connected together.

The elastic portion of the rail may be of any suitable elastic material, but preferably of rubber or any of its compounds.

WVhat I claim is A railroad-rail consisting of a metal rail,

having a flange and head with a web between same, the head having a dovetail'groove in its upper surface, in combination with an elastic tread having a dovetail web on its under side to correspond with the groove in the head of the rail; substantially as shown and decribed. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOSEA W. LIBBEY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. STEERE, EDWIN PLANTA. 

